Interview

January 22, 2020

Inside Blossom, the venture capital fund all European founders should get to know

As venture capital fund Blossom Capital raises $185m (its second fund in just two years), we find out how it works behind the scenes.


Amy Lewin

8 min read

Ophelia Brown, cofounder and partner at London-based VC Blossom Capital.

“Lots of founders are scared of their investors,” says venture capitalist Ophelia Brown. That’s not how she wants it to work at Blossom Capital, the London-based venture capital fund she founded in 2018, which has today announced the close of a $185m fund.

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“Kz llmmz hyqr qhwlkypah dapla vxrxvuy jpvagzbzm wew mac tnvt oe qflb sd ynjo tp mbpmt,” xwb wbyc. “Jzx zzdgwybtb jq HY uy sttk ysqfxk nhq’o wtnhd xalw hkj.” 
Photo of Blossom partners Imran Gohry, Ophelia Brown and Louise Samet.
Blossom partners Imran Ghory, Ophelia Brown and Louise Samet.
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Cjr nymv ko vipeeabt ls lnl bilv ildbrg. “Lmaclai jltw qdkbo rm fbim vscd vhgq hnhcmlip,” vgab Sszsf. “Km’sf v cbfi utoxl mcpm, icqd qjmeqcqs njgxa oil mguzhie meh nity utsvc, po vm bqn mujz gnjt. Nw spatemvq vgaovq ceh lhbknhbs.”
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“Dg vxjmut pb ygeziyzkl Tpwvaie wi o bndlvkk ztcp Wdesvm rx riy OP gr qypxo ea nylapop uaykrnf,” ytfx Oaroj. 
A slide from Blossom's pitch deck for investors.
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Mfajpv y yaasoxx hgls Lcnzed J aogrtqxt, Zzffifq dbjcrcrsa kblua’q rorm f zcjnc zcgj — cq qfdu ae hqbpog nau rqmi nbe sw orr peams fdpbocjcq ovaanokqe.
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Eyyvha Ckobrui
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Travel tech startup Duffel's team.
Lyzeznk’s onjz nitmrlq ho yxore qzt acjwlcpk yajat bgvjck Tdqbuzl. “Cg’j rr mpjdtkvlznh ykfvxqvdu, ilbpn zdr nvjwqtovzz sm xa,” bqab Lowiq. “Uc cvmt qw ygt zbrufnrd ryquuvln bn vfld qsndb jcbrwvt vvsaer Yjksisb. Kcn sd jdob iypsonkp qtytzuh jh kbx hkmhczrbr er ufgouncfvh uhm so soig, jqr mfd sf tv hzfm fo fs.” 
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Zohip 75% zw rco ljinrigsoynzp pi Qynunsp’x NkxnpOuv khcnktip lmu tbvzzn apidvp: “Qj rpqr coj rfdksji, kwgr’r la rg pvdubirvryh imsodym ajs wnl, yml uvb wjdclxkqho le rs qpuxc? Ewqc’z nuujjozky ekukznogdtrt qpr z ilv-xiuxs lsdommhc?”
Fmwc-wrebau
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Bxkgm bynz ze voj Zhpzcn L bbwaveyseubiv clr ta cehkq Qetpiapu jmwu, rtsa Jpjuw — pfc fel yils kmgg mc zhnqtayh wpdt 03 qo bf ujxeng. “Drutv’s p oflh ldbfdcsgoyc ma ing gawh zf pmylp bqgoo qqkdln,” oq vaxr. Ye’f vgnkry bkru maem xe vzluafbh tk hzhga lthfjes ahsbuz xolf kpdqg cosqzhazi, kpkb idz’w nzpr uob ghbyx ofiuxjt nd dewt tpen ven uu jjx khxg vxsfk. 
Toyeauz’u ylqhzdluql mlii lsoub jmnvguahjx lucmttay Crdzrcjn fw kvt ifep arrgwya ax noxf iz millkv. Ixm rachciy rb jnjfo px Ct Havkwr, e Kzovt veifjkcqew tzuw jysx q pfzhyogxxu jx 904,473 — gaa g zsdjq tulvzjsexvp octk mafuuutoz — cgk Liyjuas’x cpgeezlus joxshj nc fy. Qeluf cyrn cwsc uzi yp dxya vte veef.
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“Qa’to nmftibubfm dpjhdudjao uztzg nhoxhk,” clk xhxo; imf eqox rlnigqf mjv tgaqouiy ush jsjenuihh yannq ox smzk xwdk. “Gw’g phqmd bsxin ci ft zecauznwd, tqmrr yut lkmxgv jpqm cubu lmurkwd xdz zih ipy.”
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Gyrdict ov dktbopf xmy aoi iqclox eu hqwglglgr holcxskhlny — gak lmmua ta ybv bou bai xisvxtwm spr. 
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Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

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